Welcome to SecureDrop’s documentation!
SecureDrop is an open-source whistleblower submission system that media organizations can use to securely accept documents from and communicate with anonymous sources.
This documentation is intended for sources, journalists, and administrators. If you would like to contribute to SecureDrop, please see our developer documentation.
Overview
- What Is SecureDrop?
- What Makes SecureDrop Unique?
- Glossary
- Admin Workstation
- Application Server
- Export Device
- Journalist
- Journalist Alert Public Key
- Journalist Interface
- Journalist Workstation
- Landing Page
- Monitor Server
- Onion Service
- OSSEC Alert Public Key
- Secure Viewing Station
- Source
- Source Interface
- Submission Key
- Transfer Device
- Two-Factor Authentication
- Threat Model
- Data Flow Diagram
- Attacks and Countermeasures on the SecureDrop Environment
- Application Code — SecureDrop Repository/Release
- Application Code — Source Interface and Journalist Interface
- Application Server and Monitor Server
- SecureDrop Dependencies — Python, Tor, Linux Kernel, apt, Tails, Ubuntu, or Hardware Firewall Vulnerabilities
- Network Infrastructure — FPF Infrastructure or Organization Corporate Network
- User Behavior and Hardware — SecureDrop Hardware Tampering or Failure in Operational Security
- Getting Support
- SecureDrop On-Site Training Schedule
User Guides
- Source Guide
- Journalist Guide
- Connecting to the Tor network in Tails
- Updating Your Workstation
- Connecting to the Journalist Interface
- Daily Journalist Alerts About Submissions
- Interacting With Sources
- Moving Documents to the Secure Viewing Station
- Working with Documents
- Moving Documents to Your Everyday Workstation
- Decrypting and Preparing to Publish
- Deleting submissions and source accounts
- Admin Guide
- Passphrase Best Practices
Installation Guide
- Installation Overview
- Passphrases
- Hardware
- Minimum requirements for the SecureDrop environment
- Before You Begin
- Create USB Boot Drives
- Set Up the Secure Viewing Station
- Set Up the Transfer Device and the Export Device
- Generate the Submission Key
- Set Up the Admin Workstation
- Set Up the Network Firewall
- Setting Up a pfSense Network Firewall
- Setting Up An OPNSense Network Firewall
- Set Up the Servers
- Install SecureDrop
- Configure the Admin Workstation Post-Install and Create Backups
- Create an Admin Account on the Journalist Interface
- Test the Installation
Deployment Guide
- Overview
- Protecting the Security of the System
- Landing Page
- Landing Page Content Suggestions
- The SecureDrop Directory
- URL and Location
- HTTPS Only (No Mixed Content)
- Perfect Forward Secrecy
- SSL Certificate Recommendations
- Do Not Use Third-Party Analytics, Tracking, or Advertising
- Do Not Hyperlink .onion Addresses
- Avoid Direct Links to SecureDrop.org
- Apply Security Headers
- Additional Apache Configuration
- Further Security Considerations
- How to test your Landing Page using Tor Browser
- Whole Site Changes
- Sample SecureDrop Privacy Policy
- Promoting Your SecureDrop Instance
- Make a High Profile Announcement
- Provide a Clear Link on Your Homepage
- Provide Links at the Bottom of Your Articles
- Create an Instructional Video on How to Access and Use Your SecureDrop
- Regularly Share Your SecureDrop Landing Page on Social Media
- Target Potential Whistleblowers with Advertising
- Put an Advertisement in Your Physical Paper
- Onboard Journalists
- Onboard Additional Admins
- Using a YubiKey with the Journalist Interface
- HTTPS on the Source Interface
- SSH Over Local Network
- Accessing SecureDrop Remotely
- Setting Up a Printer in Tails
- Off-board Administrators and Journalists
Maintenance Guide
- Investigating Logs
- OSSEC Guide
- Backing Up and Restoring Servers
- Backing Up and Restoring Workstations
- Updating Tails USBs
- Troubleshooting Kernel Updates
- Rebuilding an Admin Workstation USB
- Step 1: Prepare the USB sticks
- Step 2: (Optional) Boot the servers in single-user mode
- Step 3: Set up Admin Workstation access
- Step 4: Retrieve SecureDrop configuration info from the servers
- Step 5: Configure and back up the Application Server
- Step 6: Use the installer to complete the configuration
- Step 7: Set up SSH-over Tor
- Step 8: Post-rebuild tasks
- BIOS Updates on the Servers
- Decommission SecureDrop
Upgrades
Two versions of this documentation are available:
latest- built from thedevelopbranch of the SecureDrop repository, containing updates that have been tested but not yet released.stable- built from thestablebranch of the SecureDrop repository, and up to date with the most recent release, 2.5.2.